Have a gnat problem

[nhoj6465]

I have several house plants that have some fungus gnats. I have been treating the plants with Ortho ecosense brand indoor insect killer. It seems to have reduced the amount of gnats in the house. I am in the process of building two cages one 4 my female & one 4 my male Nosy B Chameleons and I want 2 put live plants n there but I am afraid that the new plants will cause more of those bugs. Does anyone have this problem? If I do go with live plants do the plants and the chameleon need two different lights and how often do u have to change out bulbs?

 

[Thompson]

Replant, and clean the plant's roots. The gnats are in the soil when you buy them from the nursery or home depot. You don't need a two diffrent lights for the chameleon and the plant unless you want a plant light to help your plants grow. But for the chameelon you need two diffrent lights, a basking light 60 watts, and a reptisun 5.0 linear uvb light.

 

[Time420]

I have heard of people baking things in the oven to kill parasites. I don't recall the temp and time but i'm sure someone will help ya out. Can't be too hot to kill those little buggers though 150F-200F would be a guess?? but i'm thinking it won't smell good lol

 

[sandrachameleon]

Fungus Gnats thrive in wet soil. The easiest way to rid yourself of them is to let your plants dry out between waterings. You can also cover the soil in a couple inches of rocks (the flies are thereby unable to get to the damp soil to lay the eggs) or even with plastic wrap.

You can also get a beneficial nemotode. Just do a search on this forum on Fungus Gnat and you're going to find multiple threads with this question already asked and answered.

 

[nhoj6465]

Thanks!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hate these lil gnats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jakedn]

Here's a much easier method: Just get some washed play sand that isn't to large or coarse and put an inch layer on top. Same concept as the couple inches of rocks, but less weight and easier imo. If the sand isn't large or coarse your chameleon should pass it just fine if he did ingest some.

 

[CHAMaDdIcT]

Here's a much easier method: Just get some washed play sand that isn't to large or coarse and put an inch layer on top. Same concept as the couple inches of rocks, but less weight and easier imo. If the sand isn't large or coarse your chameleon should pass it just fine if he did ingest some.

well then do you just water the plant through the sand?

 

[Lizardlover]

well then do you just water the plant through the sand?

uhhhhh yeah

 

[DGray]

treat them to some Imidocloprid

There was a very good thread recently on just this topic. A search would have found it, but Here You Go.

I deal with this problem everyday in my work, and I have to say that none of the suggestions above have ever worked for me. Gnats will breed in any soil that is moistened. Starting with fresh soil will only delay their appearance. No cultural tricks seem to work either ( thick layers of sand, baking soil, etc. ).

I use a drench of the "Tree and Shrub Insect Control" from Bayer. Before you all collectively scream, this is the same compound that is in "Advantage" for dogs and cats; its very safe and has been widely tested in people, mammals, and even reptiles. You put it on the dog's neck and it goes into the body and kills any fleas who bite the dog. When you use the plant version, you drench the soil and gnats go away and don't come back. As a consequence, any insects that eat your plants will be stopped too. Simplest control you can get.

If you want to be organic about it, there is a new-ish thing called Spinosad, which can be used in the same way. I just can't find any info on if it might be a danger to reptiles. Understanding it's method of action, I feel its probably safe, but I have no evidence.

BTW, these products should not be used in any amphibian habitats.

 

[Jakedn]

There was a very good thread recently on just this topic. A search would have found it, but Here You Go.

I deal with this problem everyday in my work, and I have to say that none of the suggestions above have ever worked for me. Gnats will breed in any soil that is moistened. Starting with fresh soil will only delay their appearance. No cultural tricks seem to work either ( thick layers of sand, baking soil, etc. ).

I use a drench of the "Tree and Shrub Insect Control" from Bayer. Before you all collectively scream, this is the same compound that is in "Advantage" for dogs and cats; its very safe and has been widely tested in people, mammals, and even reptiles. You put it on the dog's neck and it goes into the body and kills any fleas who bite the dog. When you use the plant version, you drench the soil and gnats go away and don't come back. As a consequence, any insects that eat your plants will be stopped too. Simplest control you can get.

If you want to be organic about it, there is a new-ish thing called Spinosad, which can be used in the same way. I just can't find any info on if it might be a danger to reptiles. Understanding it's method of action, I feel its probably safe, but I have no evidence.

BTW, these products should not be used in any amphibian habitats.

Out of curiosity, how did the sand never work for you? In my experience using it won't allow the gnats to get past the sand and into the soil to breed, and if they did they never made it back up. I did however see an occasional gnat fly around check out the soil and then fly away when it realized it couldn't get past the sand. Is it possible you were seeing gnats coming from other plants that did not have the layer of sand?

The sand method has worked wonders for me in the past. Once, my soil in the chameleon cage started getting mass amounts of mites and gnats suddenly, I simply threw on an inch or so layer of sand and never saw either again.

 

[DGray]

The gnats will breed in the soil in the bottom of the pots and come out the holes. Glad to hear sand worked for you though.

 

[tkilgour]

Dgray you also need a layer of sand on the bottom of the pots or the gnats will still get into the soil. The sand is 100% gauranteed to work!!!! Also, you can cover the bottoms and top of pot with plastic wrap. I hate those flies, they tick me off. For me, It is nearly impossible to let the plants dry out. I have misters and drippers and the water soaks everything. No chance of the soil drying out unless I quit watering and let the chams. get dehydrated.

 

[ijmccollum]

What about the dry ice method, does that work for gnats?
http://www.geckosunlimited.com/Getting-rid-of-terrarium-pests

 

[tkilgour]

The dry ice method seems pretty neat. It sure makes a neat looking show in the Viv. I'd be interested to see how well that worked on gnats. Looks like a Good idea.

 

[dodolah]

Dgray you also need a layer of sand on the bottom of the pots or the gnats will still get into the soil. The sand is 100% gauranteed to work!!!! Also, you can cover the bottoms and top of pot with plastic wrap. I hate those flies, they tick me off. For me, It is nearly impossible to let the plants dry out. I have misters and drippers and the water soaks everything. No chance of the soil drying out unless I quit watering and let the chams. get dehydrated.

In that case, you'll slowly drown your plant's root and kill the plant.
how many time you are watering and for how long?
Last year or two I experimented with Steinernema, and I cannot be happier with the result. I love the fact that they still killing gnats even now. I have a full year of no presence of gnats after that treatment. Worth the money.

There is another type of nematodes that actually actively seek for a host:
H. bacteriophora
I haven't tried this yet..

The great thing about it, is they also attack ants according to one website I googled. They burrow inside the ant's body. The soldiers got bloated and returned to their mount.
and, soon they will infect the whole colony.

 

[tkilgour]

In that case, you'll slowly drown your plant's root and kill the plant.
how many time you are watering and for how long?
Last year or two I experimented with Steinernema, and I cannot be happier with the result. I love the fact that they still killing gnats even now. I have a full year of no presence of gnats after that treatment. Worth the money.

There is another type of nematodes that actually actively seek for a host:
H. bacteriophora
I haven't tried this yet..

The great thing about it, is they also attack ants according to one website I googled. They burrow inside the ant's body. The soldiers got bloated and returned to their mount.
and, soon they will infect the whole colony.

Luckily, none of my plants have died of over watering. I buy pothos and other water tolerant plants and use great lighting, so the plants thrive. However, I always worry about over watering because the soil is always soaked. I probably mist a total of 6 min. a day, and run drippers for maybe 30 min. a day. The drippers drop on the bottom of the enclosures and drain out. Misters make a nice fine mist that soaks everything. I have a drainage system that helps the cages to dry out in between mistings and drippings, but the soil never gets totally dry. Any suggestions on keeping all the water out of the soil, that would be the #1 solution to gnats?

I just did a finger check on the soil. The pots are not pooling up with water, but the soil is wet. When I put my finger down in the soil it feels damp. No dripping or misting has happened now for a couple hours and the humidity is 60%

Also the soil just has to be damp for these gnats to populate.

 

[Jakedn]

Guess thats why the sand worked for me then, I already had sand mixed with rocks and coconut husk on the bottom for drainage.

 

[tkilgour]

Guess thats why the sand worked for me then, I already had sand mixed with rocks and coconut husk on the bottom for drainage.

In my pots I have a bottom layer of rocks then sand, next the soil, then another layer of sand then rock and that takes care of gnats. But the soil around the roots still gets wet.

 

[Jakedn]

In my pots I have a bottom layer of rocks then sand, next the soil, then another layer of sand then rock and that takes care of gnats. But the soil around the roots still gets wet.

I had the coconut husk around the drainage holes just to keep sand in, rocks and sand for drainage, then I had soil for the plants, and at the top another layer of sand to keep bugs out. This method worked great for me, never had any problems with it set up like this.

 

[tkilgour]

Thats a good idea, I will add that to the mix. Thanks